Local Houses Project
Aim: To create a database of information on local houses using residents knowledge of their house.
Why is it important:
- Many of the enquiries we will get as a Heritage Centre will be from people who want to know more about their house. Unfortunately as the archive is new there will be many houses we know nothing about.
- Owners of houses often have quite a bit of information about their house and area without even realising it but this knowledge will be lost in time.
- In the past houses were rarely mentioned, just the attached fields or the occupations that took place in them. People change the names of houses and field names are lost. You might have an object, well or outbuilding that is part of that history but have extended or demolished something that should be recorded somewhere.
Challenge
If possible can you record everything you know about the history of your house or a local house you know.
(This might be several houses for older residents)
A description of it and address, any former owners, any occupations associated with the building, any changes that you know have happened, any boundary fields names or other properties associated with the building.
There is a form going round to houses shortly and any information we get now will help us grow the database.
Value
Although this information will be of great value in the modern day, it will be an extraordinarily useful source of information to people in centuries to come so please do get involved in the project.
Other local history Societies are
http://smardenheritagecentre.synthasite.com/ http://www.hothfieldmemories.org.uk/ http://www.charinghistory.co.uk/
Ashford has a Museum open from April to 28th October: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am until 2pm, except Good Friday. http://ashfordmuseum.org.uk/
Other Societies can find the software at: https://www.archlife.co.uk/
